STAY OFF THE SKYLINE. THE STORY OF 82 DAYS ON AN ISLAND HELL. THE SIXTH MARINE DIVISION ON OKINAWA. An Oral History. Gritty details of close quarters combat and the myriad physical and psychological wounds that war wreaks.

The Sixth Marine Division holds a unique place in U.S. Marine Corps history, because it was retired after one great battle. The division was formed on Guadalcanal in September 1944, its ranks filled with battle-hardened veterans and untested replacement troops. The Sixth Division fought its only action on the island of Okinawa from April to June 1945 but entered the fight with more combat experience overall than any other Marine division in its initial battle. It disappointed no one. The Okinawa campaign involved eight Army and Marine divisions, but the Sixth captured most of the ground in some of the bloodiest fighting of the war. Weeks later, atomic attacks on two Japanese cities in early August 1945 swiftly ended the war. "Before Hiroshima there was Okinawa. Because of Okinawa, in considerable part there was Hiroshima," wrote one reporter. With the invasion of Japan canceled, the Sixth Division went to China on occupation duty and, on 1 April 1946, was reorganized out of existence. As it was created overseas, so was it disbanded.

This book tells the story of these Marines in their own words. Historian Laura Lacey - a Marine family member who has lived on Okinawa -sympathetically portrays the men who in 1945 fought a tremendous battle that she contends has not received its full share of attention from historians. Lacey considers the gritty details of close quarters combat and considers the myriad physical and psychological wounds that war wreaks. With Marines now engaged in a tough fight in Iraq, Lacey’s book reminds us that whether or not a war is popular, war is indeed hell.

304 pages with 30 photos and maps.

About The Author:
Laura Homan Lacey is the historian of the Sixth Marine Division and U.S. representative of the Battle of Okinawa Museum. She earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in liberal studies and history from Mary Washington College and the University of Texas, respectively. Her interest in the Pacific theater of World War II resulted from having lived on Okinawa with her husband, a Marine aviator. She lives in Quantico, Virginia.

Reviews/Endorsements:
"It not only gives some overdue historical attention to the 'Striking 6th' but also ties the basic Marine's experience into the overall Okinawa battle. It is a good book. . . ."
-- Marine Corps Gazette

"Tells a story of the Marine's war in the Pacific in general--what it felt like, smelled like, and sounded like."
-- Reference & Research Book News

"A must-read for anyone interested in the final ground engagement in the Pacific, the bloody battle that convinced President Truman to use the atomic bombs on mainland Japan."
-- Stars and Stripes

"Stands as a worthy tribute to those Marines, who gave and sacrificed so much."
-- Military Trader